Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has heaped praise on MS Dhoni's legacy within Indian cricket, both on the field as captain and off the field. The current head coach of SA20 side Pretoria Capitals called Dhoni as an inspiration for small-town players, giving them hope that even they can make it big in cricket in India.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star led India to the World Cup title in 2011 on home soil, beating Sri Lanka in the final. Ganguly, on the other hand, took the Men in Blue to the World Cup final in 2003, losing to Australia in Johannesburg.
"MS Dhoni has won a World Cup, while I have been a runner-up. He has led India in three World Cups. In our time, there was no T20I cricket – only the Champions Trophy and the World Cup. But MS Dhoni has won the World Cup, and I would say he was an outstanding white-ball captain,” Ganguly said at the TV9 WITT Summit 2026.
Ganguly also feels extremely proud of Dhoni and his perseverance to come from a place not known for producing great cricketers but still proving the system wrong. Both former captains put the eastern part of India on the map in Indian cricket following their success donning the famous Blue jersey.
"I am proud that he came from a small place like Jharkhand. Before him, not many players from there represented the country. To come from there and become such a legend is something to be proud of. When someone from a state makes it big at the highest level, it creates an impact – it builds confidence. 'If Mahi can do it, I can do it.' Take Vaibhav Suryavanshi, for example. Yes, he is from Bihar, but he must have grown up watching Dhoni," Ganguly said. "I feel proud because I am from Bengal and he is from Jharkhand. These regions haven't produced as many cricketers as places like Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru. That is why I take great pride in MS Dhoni,” he added.
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Ganguly’s last game in India colours came against Australia in a Test match in Nagpur in 2008 under the captaincy of Dhoni. In a fitting tribute to the former skipper, the wicketkeeper-batter allowed Ganguly to lead India for one final time on his last day as an international cricketer as India defeated the Aussies by 172 runs.